PowerBox Setup

Overview

PowerBox requires a one-time setup to enable Power Apps integration with Business Central. The setup process involves configuring the Power App ID, area-specific parameters, and comprehensive Power Apps window settings that determine how the application interacts with different Business Central entities and responds to various screen sizes and layout constraints.

Note

What is a "Power Apps window" in PowerBox?
A Power Apps window refers to the iframe container within the Business Central factbox that displays your Power Apps application. Window settings determine the dimensions and behavior of this container, not the content of the Power App itself.

Configuration Steps

1. Basic App Configuration

  1. Search for "PowerBox Setup" in Business Central
  2. For each area you want to enable (Customer, Vendor):
    • Select the Area from the dropdown
    • Enter your Power App ID in the AppId field
    • The AppId can be found in the Power Apps maker portal
    • Use the Enabled checkbox to activate/deactivate PowerApps integration for this specific area

2. Power Apps Window Dimensions

Configure the base dimensions for PowerApps windows:

  • Window Height: Set the default height for PowerApps windows (default: 400px, range: 200-2000px)
  • Window Width: Set the default width for PowerApps windows (default: 425px, range: 200-2000px)

3. Parameter Configuration

Configure parameters for data passing to Power Apps:

  • Parameter Name: Define the name of the parameter that will be passed to Power Apps
  • Field Caption: Use the lookup to select which field's value will be passed to the Power App
  • The system will automatically set the Field No. and Table No based on your selection

4. Scaling and Responsiveness

Control how PowerApps windows respond to screen size changes:

Basic Scaling

  • Enable Scaling: Enable advanced scaling features (when disabled, uses basic fixed dimensions)
  • Enable Vertical Stretch: Allow PowerApps windows to stretch vertically
  • Enable Horizontal Stretch: Allow PowerApps windows to stretch horizontally
  • Enable Vertical Shrink: Allow windows to shrink when vertical space is limited
  • Enable Horizontal Shrink: Allow windows to shrink when horizontal space is limited

Size Constraints

  • Minimum Height: Set lower bound to prevent windows from becoming too small (default: 300px, range: 100-1000px)
  • Maximum Height: Set upper bound to prevent windows from becoming too large (default: 400px, range: 400-3000px)
  • Minimum Width: Set lower bound for width (default: 200px, range: 100-800px)
  • Maximum Width: Set upper bound for width (default: 425px, range: 300-2000px)

5. Performance Optimization

Fine-tune performance and responsiveness:

  • Resize Delay (ms): Delay before applying resize changes (default: 300ms, range: 100-2000ms)
    • Higher values reduce performance impact but make resizing less responsive
  • Min Width Change (px): Minimum width change required to trigger resize (default: 5px, range: 1-50px)
    • Higher values reduce sensitivity to small changes
  • Window Margin (px): Margin to subtract from FactBox width (default: 70px, range: 20-100px)
    • Prevents the window from extending beyond the container

Technical Details

The PowerBox Setup consists of a comprehensive configuration system with the following key features:

PowerBox Setup Table Structure

Each area (Customer, Vendor) has its own configuration record containing:

Basic Configuration

  • Area - Integration area (Customer or Vendor)
  • AppId - The unique identifier of your Power App that will be embedded in factboxes
  • Enabled - Controls whether the PowerApps integration is active for this area (default: true)
  • Parameter Name - The name of the parameter that will be passed to Power Apps
  • Field No. - The field number from the source table whose value will be passed
  • Field Caption - Display name of the selected field (automatically populated)
  • Table No - The table number (automatically set based on area)

Power Apps Window Dimensions

  • Window Height/Width - Base dimensions for the PowerApps iframe
  • Minimum/Maximum Height/Width - Size constraints for responsive behavior

Responsiveness Settings

  • Enable Scaling - Master switch for advanced scaling features
  • Enable Vertical/Horizontal Stretch - Allow windows to expand beyond base dimensions
  • Enable Vertical/Horizontal Shrink - Allow windows to contract below base dimensions

Performance Settings

  • Resize Delay - Throttling for resize events to optimize performance
  • Min Width Change - Sensitivity threshold for resize triggers
  • Window Margin - Buffer space to prevent layout overflow

Supported Areas

PowerBox currently supports integration with:

  • Customer - Customer List and Customer Card pages
  • Vendor - Vendor List and Vendor Card pages

Each area can have its own independent configuration including:

  • Unique Power App ID (allowing different Power Apps for different areas)
  • Custom parameter configuration for data passing
  • Individual window settings and responsive behavior
  • Area-specific performance optimization

Data Type Support

The following field types are supported for parameter mapping:

  • Text
  • Code
  • Integer
  • BigInteger
  • Decimal
  • Boolean
  • Date
  • Time
  • DateTime
  • Option

Validation

After setup:

  1. Open any supported page (e.g., Customer Card, Customer List, Vendor Card, or Vendor List)
  2. Verify that the Power Apps factbox is visible on the right side
  3. The factbox should display your embedded Power App with the configured dimensions
  4. Test responsiveness by resizing the Business Central window
  5. Verify that the configured parameters are being passed correctly to your Power App
  6. Check that scaling behaviors work as expected based on your configuration

Best Practices

Area Management

  • Use the Enabled field to quickly activate/deactivate PowerApps integration for specific areas without removing configuration
  • Keep configurations for disabled areas intact for easy re-enabling later

Performance Optimization

  • Use appropriate resize delays (300ms recommended) to balance responsiveness and performance
  • Set minimum width change thresholds (5px recommended) to avoid excessive resize events
  • Configure appropriate margins (70px recommended) to prevent layout issues

Responsive Design

  • Enable scaling features only when needed to maintain performance
  • Set reasonable min/max constraints to ensure good user experience across devices
  • Test thoroughly on different screen sizes and browser zoom levels

Parameter Configuration

  • Choose appropriate fields for parameter passing based on your Power App requirements
  • Consider data classification and security when selecting fields
  • Use meaningful parameter names that match your Power App's expected inputs
Note
  • The factbox will automatically hide itself if no AppId is configured for an area or if the area is disabled
  • Use the Enabled field to temporarily disable PowerApps integration while preserving all configuration settings
  • Each area must be properly configured and enabled for data passing to work
  • Field selection is restricted to appropriate data types and classifications for security
  • Maximum Height cannot exceed Window Height when both are set
  • All configuration changes take effect immediately without requiring a restart